EP2211140B1 - Appareil d'imagerie tomographique optique - Google Patents

Appareil d'imagerie tomographique optique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2211140B1
EP2211140B1 EP10151279.6A EP10151279A EP2211140B1 EP 2211140 B1 EP2211140 B1 EP 2211140B1 EP 10151279 A EP10151279 A EP 10151279A EP 2211140 B1 EP2211140 B1 EP 2211140B1
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focus
imaging
image
focusing
optical
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP2211140A3 (fr
EP2211140A2 (fr
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Mitsuro Sugita
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Canon Inc
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Canon Inc
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B9/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G01B9/02—Interferometers
    • G01B9/02041—Interferometers characterised by particular imaging or detection techniques
    • G01B9/02044—Imaging in the frequency domain, e.g. by using a spectrometer
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B3/00—Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes
    • A61B3/10—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
    • A61B3/102—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B9/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G01B9/02—Interferometers
    • G01B9/02041—Interferometers characterised by particular imaging or detection techniques
    • G01B9/02048—Rough and fine measurement
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B9/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G01B9/02—Interferometers
    • G01B9/02055—Reduction or prevention of errors; Testing; Calibration
    • G01B9/02062—Active error reduction, i.e. varying with time
    • G01B9/02063—Active error reduction, i.e. varying with time by particular alignment of focus position, e.g. dynamic focussing in optical coherence tomography
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B9/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G01B9/02—Interferometers
    • G01B9/0209—Low-coherence interferometers
    • G01B9/02091—Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an optical tomographic imaging apparatus, and more particularly, to an optical tomographic imaging apparatus that is used for ophthalmological care, tomographic observation of skin, tomography scan of a digestive and cardiovascular wall with an endoscope or a catheter constituted of the optical tomographic imaging apparatus, or the like.
  • the present invention also relates to an imaging method of taking a tomographic image of an object.
  • an optical tomographic imaging apparatus that performs an optical coherence tomography (OCT) utilizing interference phenomenon of multi-wavelength light may be used to obtain a tomographic image of a sample with high resolution.
  • OCT optical coherence tomography
  • an optical tomographic imaging apparatus is becoming an indispensable apparatus for obtaining a tomographic image of a fundus or a retina.
  • the optical tomographic imaging apparatus has also been used for tomographic observation of skin, tomography scan of a digestive and cardiovascular wall with an endoscope or a catheter constituted of the apparatus, or the like.
  • the optical tomographic imaging apparatus is referred to as an OCT apparatus.
  • a disturbance of the image due to a motion of the living organism becomes a problem with the OCT apparatus in various application.
  • existence of an eye movement largely affects accuracy of diagnosis.
  • a motion of approximately 100 ⁇ m per second occurs both in the in-plane direction of the fundus (hereinafter referred to as a horizontal direction) and in the depth direction thereof (hereinafter referred to as a vertical direction) in a three-dimensional manner.
  • the imaging time is up to approximately one second for one B scan cross section image (two-dimensional image including one-dimensional image of the horizontal direction and one-dimensional image of the vertical direction). Therefore, a relatively long period of time is necessary for obtaining approximately 100 shots of B scan cross section images that are necessary for obtaining the three-dimensional image, and hence it is not practical because the motion artifact occurring due to the eye movement during the period is large.
  • an OCT apparatus of a Fourier domain method (hereinafter referred to as an FD-OCT apparatus) has been widespread in use for its high speed performance that is at least ten times as fast as that of the conventional time-domain method.
  • An example of this FD-OCT apparatus is disclosed in WO 2008/139799 A1 .
  • FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram of a typical FD-OCT apparatus for an ophthalmological use.
  • a light beams emitted from a light source 1001 is guided by a single mode optical fiber 1002 and enters a fiber optical coupler 1003.
  • the fiber optical coupler 1003 is a so-called 2 ⁇ 2 type, which splits the incident light from the fiber 1002 to be caused to enter two output fibers.
  • One of the output fibers is coupled to an imaging optical system for human fundus that is a signalling beams path of a Michelson interferometer, and the other output fiber is coupled to a reference beams path of the interferometer.
  • the light output from a fiber end is converted into a parallel beams by a collimate lens 1004, propagates in space, and enters an XY scanner 1005.
  • the XY scanner 1005 is a reflection type optical scanning apparatus that performs two-dimensional reflection angle control, and hence a reflected signalling beams is guided by a scanning lens 1006 and an ocular lens 1007 so as to enter a human eye 1008.
  • the XY scanner, the scanning lens and the ocular lens constitute a scanning optical system, which focuses the signalling beams as the parallel beams onto a fundus observation target region 1009 together with an optical action of the eye, and the focus position scans a surface of the fundus that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis in a two-dimensional manner.
  • the ocular lens 1007 works to adjust the focus position in the depth direction. Control for scanning and focus is performed by a controlling and signal processing device 1101 that is connected to the XY scanner 1005 and a focus driving actuator 1010, in an integrative manner including other control.
  • a reflection beams from the fundus observation target region 1009 and a signalling beams propagating backward in substantially the same optical path among the backscattered light beams pass through the collimate lens 1004 again and returns to the fiber optical coupler 1003.
  • the reference beams is split by the fiber optical coupler 1003, is converted into a parallel beams by the collimate lens 1004, and is reflected by a reference beams mirror 1011 disposed on an optical delay driving apparatus 1012 so as to propagate backward along the optical path.
  • the position of the reference beams mirror 1011 is adjusted and controlled by controlling the optical delay driving apparatus 1012 together with, in particular, correction of an axial length that is different among individuals so that a total optical path length of the reference beams path becomes a predetermined length with the signalling beams path as a reference.
  • a translational stage including the reference beams mirror 1011 is connected to the controlling and signal processing device 1101 and is controlled together with other control in an integrative manner.
  • the reference beams propagating backward passes through the collimate lens 1004 again and returns to the fiber optical coupler 1003.
  • the signalling beams and the reference beams which have returned to the fiber optical coupler 1003 are split individually into components returning to the light source 1001 and components directed to an interfering beams receiving system.
  • the signalling beams and the reference beams propagate in the same single mode fiber, i.e., are superimposed with each other so as to cause optical interference.
  • the interfering beams receiving system is a spectroscope in this example of the conventional technique, and the OCT apparatus constitutes a so-called spectral domain OCT apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an SD-OCT).
  • the interfering beams is converted into a parallel beams by the collimate lens 1004 and guided to a diffraction grating 1014 by a reflecting mirror 1013, and an action of the diffraction grating causes a first order diffraction light of the interfering beams to be directed to different angles according to a wavelength component contained in the same.
  • the individual wavelength components of the interfering beams that enter an imaging lens 1015 at different angles are focused for imaging at different positions on a line sensor 1016 according to the angles, and are read out as light intensities corresponding to individual pixels of the line sensor so that a signal thereof is sent to the controlling and signal processing device 1101.
  • the controlling and signal processing device 1101 controls the XY scanner 1005, the optical delay driving apparatus 1012, the focus driving actuator 1010 and the line sensor 1016, and includes drivers and an acquisition unit for acquiring signals sent after detecting the angle, the position and the optical signal.
  • a line image acquisition unit 1107 receives a light intensity signal train transmitted from the line sensor, and an FFT processing unit 1108 performs inverse fast Fourier transform on the signal train, and hence a result of the process is sent to a central processing unit 1103.
  • the central processing unit 1103 receives a digital optical interference signal sent after the inverse Fourier transform in time series and compares the digital optical interference signal with the following signals.
  • the digital optical interference signal is compared with a scanner position signal and a synchronizing signal from an XY scanner driver 1102, a delay position signal and a synchronizing signal from an optical delay driver 1105, and a focus position signal from a focus driver 1106.
  • the optical interference signal is associated with a position on the fundus observation target region.
  • the optical interference signal is assigned to each of predetermined pixels, and hence the image is formed and displayed on an image displaying unit 1104.
  • Such an FD-OCT apparatus enables three-dimensional measurement of a fundus in an imaging time of approximately 1 to 3 seconds.
  • an OCT apparatus having higher performance is demanded for early detection of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration that are three major diseases that can cause loss of sight.
  • an OCT apparatus having high resolution is demanded for detecting a minute change of a lesion in early stage.
  • An object to be imaged and measured is, for example, a change in an optic nerve fiber, a photoreceptor cell or a microvessel.
  • a vertical resolution i.e., a resolution in the depth direction depends on characteristics of the light source used for the OCT apparatus. Therefore, the OCT apparatus has been devised to enlarge a wavelength width of light from the light source.
  • the resolution of the OCT apparatus can be discussed as two resolutions in the cross section direction (vertical direction) and in the horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the cross section.
  • the resolution in the cross section direction is determined by a wavelength width of light from the light source. As the wavelength width is larger, the resolution in the cross section direction is higher.
  • the vertical resolution (Rz) is inversely proportional to a wavelength width of light from the light source, or in a strict sense, a wavelength width ⁇ that is detected by the system after receiving light from the light source.
  • ⁇ has been improved up to approximately 30 to 50 nm, and currently up to approximately 100 nm, while the corresponding vertical resolution is approximately 3 ⁇ m, which is becoming close to a modification in cell level described above.
  • the resolution (Rxy) in the horizontal direction is determined by an optical imaging resolution.
  • the resolution (Rxy) in the horizontal direction is determined by a numerical aperture (NA) of the imaging system and accompanying optical aberration.
  • NA numerical aperture
  • DOF depth of focus
  • high horizontal resolution and large depth of focus have a trade-off relationship based on an optical principle. For instance, if the horizontal resolution is doubled and the diameter of the optical spot size is halved, the depth of focus becomes one fourth as being inversely proportional to the square.
  • the thickness of a retina of a human eye is approximately 0.5 to 1 mm.
  • an imaging range of approximately 2 mm in the depth direction is usually secured.
  • the horizontal resolution is controlled to be 20 ⁇ m at most as the diameter of the optical spot size.
  • This value of resolution is low by approximately one digit compared with 3 ⁇ m of the vertical resolution, but it is difficult to obtain a higher horizontal resolution with a simple structure.
  • JP 2007-101250 A discloses a zone focusing OCT apparatus, in which multiple focus zones of high NA optical system having a small DOF are set, and images split in the depth direction are recombined, to thereby obtain high horizontal resolution over a wide range of depth of focus.
  • Such a zone focusing can be achieved by driving the focusing lens to be at multiple focus positions, focusing in a sequential manner while performing the imaging process, and recombining the images split in the depth direction.
  • JP 2007-54251 A discloses a method of calculating and setting a drive position of the focusing lens based on a specific position as a reference.
  • the OCT apparatus is required to perform the imaging process in a period of time as short as possible.
  • it is very important to shorten the imaging time so as to reduce a load on an ophthalmological patient to be tested.
  • JP 2007-101250 A does not disclose anything about performing the serial jobs regarding the zone focusing in the OCT apparatus efficiently in a short period of time, in which the serial jobs including driving the focusing lens to be at multiple focus positions, and focusing in a sequential manner while performing the imaging process.
  • the NA is increased for obtaining high horizontal resolution in the zone focusing as described above, the depth of focus is decreased on the contrary, resulting in that the number of focus zones to be obtained by splitting in the zone focusing is increased. Therefore, an efficient focusing process therefor is necessary.
  • the focusing optical system for an object such as a retina of a human eye includes a biological optical system such as a cornea, a crystalline lens, and a hyaloid body of the human eye, and it is known that the biological optical system is different depending on an object to be tested due to an individual variation.
  • the aberration of a human eye includes so-called spherical aberration, comatic aberration, astigmatism and the like, which leads to a larger influence as the beams diameter is increased.
  • the focusing process is actually performed by monitoring the image itself so that the desired OCT image is improved, but this method with monitoring is not suitable for the case where the number of focus zones is large.
  • focusing may be performed in a sequential manner in many focus zones (at many focus positions) while performing the imaging process.
  • JP 2007-101250 A does not disclose anything about performing the serial jobs in the OCT apparatus efficiently in a period of time as short as possible, as described above.
  • JP 2007-54251 A discloses that the tomographic measuring apparatus which calculates and sets a drive position of the focusing lens based on a specific position as a reference.
  • the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an optical tomographic imaging apparatus and an imaging method that are capable of shortening a period of time of focusing at multiple focus positions when images split in a depth direction are obtained by zone focusing.
  • an optical tomographic imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1.
  • the optical tomographic imaging apparatus and the imaging method are capable of shortening the period of time of focusing at the multiple focus positions when the images split in the depth direction are obtained by the zone focusing.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an overall function of a structural example of the optical tomographic imaging apparatus according to this embodiment.
  • a pre-scan setting and imaging device 101 performs pre-scan so that pre-scan image data 102 is obtained.
  • a reference beams delay position and a focus position are set roughly.
  • setting for obtaining an optimized image is not necessary as long as a profile image of an entire object can be obtained.
  • the pre-scan is performed after searching manually by an operator for a reference beams delay position and a focus position for obtaining a rough image.
  • one A-scan may be obtained automatically, before searching for a reference beams delay position having a signal.
  • luminance of the image may be monitored roughly so as to adjust roughly the focus automatically so that a profile is shown.
  • an imaging range setting device 103 sets a range in the depth direction for imaging based on the pre-scan image data 102, and hence imaging range data 104 is obtained.
  • range and position are used for the depth direction.
  • the range in the depth direction is simply referred to as a range, and the position in the depth direction is simply referred to as a position.
  • the range and the position thereof are referred to as a "horizontal direction range” and a “horizontal direction position” without abbreviation.
  • the range setting can be performed automatically for a range of the image luminance (OCT signal intensity) that is larger than or equal to a certain threshold value, or can be performed manually by an operator.
  • a predetermined imaging depth range may be divided into multiple focus zones so that multiple focus positions are set.
  • zone focus position setting device 105 based on the imaging range data 104, and hence a zone focus position setting list 106 is created and stored.
  • a reference position setting device 107 sets at least two reference positions in the imaging depth direction within the predetermined imaging depth range.
  • the reference position setting device 107 obtains a reference position list 108 based on the imaging range data 104 and the pre-scan image data 102.
  • approximately two to four parts having high image luminance are selected from the pre-scan image so that the positions fall within the imaging range and are as distant from each other as possible. Those parts may be detected automatically or selected manually by an operator.
  • a retina of a human eye has high reflection layers at two regions positioned on substantial ends of a general imaging target range, which include:
  • the reference position may be selected automatically by segmenting the reflection layers.
  • the reference position may be selected by semiautomatic setting performed by an operator in the case of image structure different from a standard one.
  • the reference position list 108 is one-dimensional arrangement having elements of two reference positions (depth positions), for example, and the focus condition is obtained for each element by a focus detecting device 109.
  • FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the focus detection performed by the focus detecting device of this embodiment.
  • the focusing lens is moved and is set to the next lens position (S13).
  • the OCT image measuring and storing step (S11) and the subsequent steps are repeated.
  • the lens position, at which the image luminance at the reference position in the screen stored at each focus position is maximum, is determined by comparison (S15).
  • one focus condition for the reference position in the image is determined first.
  • the focus condition means correspondence between the position in the image and the position of the focusing lens.
  • a focusing mechanism position detecting and storing device 110 detects and holds focusing mechanism position data 111, while an intra-image focus position storing device 112 holds a corresponding intra-image focus position data 113.
  • the focus condition is determined for each of the reference positions in the reference position list 108.
  • a conversion equation/conversion table creating device (focus controlling data converting device) 114 generates and stores conversion equation/conversion table data 115 in which an intra-image focus position is an input and focusing mechanism position data is an output, based on multiple focus conditions.
  • focus control is performed so that focusing is performed sequentially at the multiple focus positions, based on focus position information set by the focus position setting device and the focus conditions for focusing at two or more reference positions set in advance by the reference position setting device.
  • a zone focusing mechanism driving data calculating device (focus driving information calculating device) 116 calculates driving information of the focus controlling device.
  • the calculation is performed by using the conversion equation or the conversion table created by the conversion equation/conversion table creating device 114 and the focus position information set by the focus position setting device.
  • the zone focus position setting list (focus position information) 106 and the conversion equation/conversion table data 115 are given to the zone focusing mechanism driving data calculating device 116 so that focusing mechanism driving data 117 is obtained.
  • the zone focusing mechanism controlling device 118 controls to drive focusing mechanism elements sequentially so that focus to a desired in-screen focus position can be performed.
  • the OCT imaging is performed for every focus, a zone focusing type FD-OCT image with high horizontal resolution can be obtained efficiently.
  • the conversion equation is calculated by interpolation or extrapolation based on the multiple focus positions corresponding to actual OCT image data with respect to a human eye of an object having an individual variation.
  • focus with high accuracy can be achieved and a number of focus positions can be determined efficiently. Because the zone focusing image can be obtained at high speed, a load on the patient as the object can be reduced.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structural example of the optical tomographic imaging apparatus according to this embodiment.
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a controlling and signal processing device 401 of the optical tomographic imaging apparatus of this embodiment.
  • a light source is represented by 301
  • an optical fiber is represented by 302
  • an optical fiber coupler is represented by 303
  • a collimate lens is represented by 304
  • an XY scanner is represented by 305
  • a scanning lens is represented by 306
  • an ocular lens is represented by 307
  • a human eye is represented by 308, and an optical interference imaging position is represented by 309.
  • a focus driving actuator is represented by 310
  • a reference beams mirror is represented by 311
  • an optical delay driving apparatus is represented by 312
  • a reflecting mirror is represented by 313
  • a diffraction grating is represented by 314
  • an imaging lens is represented by 315
  • a line sensor is represented by 316.
  • the optical tomographic imaging apparatus of this embodiment has a structure that basically corresponds to that of the FD-OCT apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10A except for the controlling and signal processing device 401.
  • controlling and signal processing device 401 controls the XY scanner 305, the optical delay driving apparatus 312, the focus driving actuator 310, and the line sensor 316, similarly to the structure illustrated in FIG. 10B .
  • the controlling and signal processing device 401 also includes drivers and an acquisition unit for acquiring signals sent after detecting the angle, the position and an optical signal.
  • a light intensity signal train transmitted from the line sensor is received by a line image acquisition unit 407, and inverse fast Fourier transform on the signal train is performed by an FFT processing unit 408. The result is sent to a central processing unit 403.
  • the central processing unit 403 receives the digital optical interference signal sent after the inverse Fourier transform in time series and compares the signal with each of the following signals.
  • the digital optical interference signal is compared with a scanner position signal and a synchronizing signal from an XY scanner driver 402, a delay position signal and a synchronizing signal from an optical delay driver 405, and a focus position signal from a focus driver 406.
  • the light beams from the light source 301 is split into a measuring beams and a reference beams.
  • the measuring beams is guided to the object through scanning with the scanning optical system (XY scanner 305 and scanning lens 306).
  • the reference beams is guided to the reference beams mirror 311 and is reflected by the same.
  • the measuring beams is reflected or scattered by the object (human eye 308) and becomes a return beams.
  • the return beams and the reference beams reflected by the reference beams mirror are used for taking a tomographic image of the object.
  • the OCT apparatus is constituted, in which the optical tomographic image is imaged by the zone focusing in which the tomographic image is obtained as images split in the depth direction, which are recombined.
  • the focus driving actuator 310 illustrated in FIG. 3 drives the focus lens, and the corresponding focus driver 406 and central processing unit 403 illustrated in FIG. 4 perform the control as described above.
  • the central processing unit 403 controls the above-mentioned flow illustrated in FIG. 1 . Upon necessity, the central processing unit 403 issue instructions to various drivers, receives a signal from the sensor, performs the imaging process appropriately, and displays the image on an image displaying unit 404.
  • FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating imaging range setting and zone focus position setting as steps of the flow illustrated in FIG. 1 , as well as a pre-scan image in this embodiment.
  • FIG. 5B illustrates how an imaging range 502 is set based on a pre-scan image 501.
  • FIG. 5A illustrates how zone focus positions 503 are set by evenly splitting the range at predetermined intervals.
  • a position in the image (Z axis) of FIG. 5A as well as FIGS. 7A , 8A , and 9A that are referred to later corresponds to a delay adjusting mirror position in the reference beams path in the interferometer.
  • FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of two different modes by the zone focus position setting as the step of the flow illustrated in FIG. 1 in this embodiment.
  • FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B illustrate the case where an OCT pixel 604 is obtained by setting the range of a depth of focus 602 in which the beams diameter is 1.4 times a beams waist with respect to a condensed beams 601 (range in which a so-called confocal parameter b is positioned on both sides of the beams waist), as a range of one zone.
  • FIG. 6A and FIG. 6C illustrate the case where an OCT pixel 605 is obtained by setting a range 603 in which the beams diameter is square root of 10 times of the beams waist with respect to the same condensed beams 601 and beams irradiation intensity per unit area becomes approximately one tenth, as the range of one zone.
  • a luminance emphasized mode is set with a criterion of 10-dB drop of the image luminance.
  • the latter mode puts weight on solving the problem that, if the depth of focus is small, not only the horizontal resolution is deteriorated on both sides of the imaging range but also the image luminance is decreased so that the image itself may disappear, because the OCT utilizes the confocal optical structure.
  • the optical tomographic imaging apparatus of this embodiment may include a mode selecting device for selecting at least one mode from multiple modes including a horizontal resolution mode and a luminance mode.
  • the imaging range can be set appropriately.
  • the focus position setting device sets the focus position based on the selected mode.
  • FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams illustrating the imaging range setting and reference position setting as steps of the flow illustrated in FIG. 1 and a pre-scan image in this embodiment.
  • a first reference position 701 (Z1) and a second reference position 702 (Z2) are set as two positions having high luminance in the image and being as distant as possible from each other in the imaging range as illustrated in FIG. 7A .
  • FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic diagrams illustrating how multiple focus conditions and a conversion equation are obtained, as a step of the flow illustrated in FIG. 1 in this embodiment.
  • FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the manner as follows.
  • focus detection is performed, so as to detect and store the corresponding focusing lens positions (first focusing position 801 (L1) and second focusing position 802 (L2)) as illustrated in FIG. 8A .
  • FIGS. 9A and 9B are schematic diagrams illustrating how multiple positions of a focusing device are obtained from the conversion equation, as a step of the flow illustrated in FIG. 1 in this embodiment.
  • FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate how Zf1, Zf2, ..., Zfn as elements of the zone focus positions 503 are converted by the linear function 805 as the conversion equation so that elements Lf1, Lf2, ..., Lfn of focusing positions 901 are obtained.
  • the OCT imaging of a human eye having an individual variation can be performed with high accuracy, high efficiency and high horizontal resolution.
  • a high performance optical tomographic imaging apparatus optical interference tomographic imaging apparatus
  • optical interference tomographic imaging apparatus optical interference tomographic imaging apparatus
  • the focusing mechanism in the embodiment described above moves the focusing lens, but focusing with the mirror system may be adopted. In this case, a deformation of the mirror can be utilized.
  • the in-focus state is decided by detecting the maximum luminance at the reference position in the image, but needless to say, the in-focus state is decided based on definition of the image, for example.
  • a contrast with respect to a space frequency may be calculated like a modulation transfer function (MTF) so that the in-focus state is decided.
  • MTF modulation transfer function
  • a characteristic matter in the image may be set so that the in-focus state is decided based on definition of a contour or the like of the characteristic matter.
  • the conversion equation may be a linear function indicating a straight line passing through the two points in this case.
  • one of methods may be selected appropriately, such as a method of performing straight line (linear function) fitting by the least-square method, a method of using a second or higher order function, and a method of performing spline interpolation.
  • the conversion equation may be a discrete table instead of a continuous function.
  • the present invention is not limited to the number of the reference positions or a type of the conversion equation or the conversion table.
  • the high resolution OCT optical interferometer apparatus of the present invention is suitable for imaging a retina of a human eye, in particular.
  • the high resolution OCT optical interferometer apparatus can also be used as various diagnosis apparatuses or inspection apparatuses for observation of a living organism such as a skin or an organ using an endoscope, or an industrial quality control.
  • aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out and executes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps of which are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s).
  • the program is provided to the computer for example via a network or from a recording medium of various types serving as the memory device (e.g., computer-readable medium).
  • the system or apparatus, the program, and the recording medium where the program is stored are included as being within the scope of the present invention.

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Claims (8)

  1. Appareil d'imagerie tomographique optique configuré pour prendre une image tomographique d'un objet (308), l'appareil d'imagerie tomographique optique comprenant :
    une source de lumière (301) ;
    des moyens (303) pour diviser un faisceau de lumière provenant de la source de lumière (301) en un faisceau de mesure et un faisceau de référence ;
    un système optique de balayage (305, 306) pour guider le faisceau de mesure vers l'objet (308) par balayage ;
    un élément de focalisation (307) ; et
    des moyens (316, 401) pour prendre l'image tomographique de l'objet (308) en obtenant des images divisées dans une direction de profondeur d'imagerie en utilisant un faisceau de retour correspondant au faisceau de mesure qui est l'un d'un faisceau réfléchi et d'un faisceau dispersé par l'objet (308) et le faisceau de référence, et recombiner les images divisées,
    caractérisé par
    un dispositif de configuration et d'imagerie de pré-balayage (101) configuré pour établir une position de focalisation de l'élément de focalisation (307) approximativement et former une image de pré-balayage tomographique (501) de l'objet (308) en utilisant les moyens (316, 401) pour prendre l'image tomographique ;
    un dispositif d'établissement de positions de focalisation (105) configuré pour établir de multiples positions de focalisation (503) dans une plage de profondeur d'imagerie prédéterminée (502) de l'image de pré-balayage (501) ;
    un dispositif d'établissement de positions de référence (107) configuré pour établir au moins deux positions de référence (701, 702) dans une direction de profondeur d'imagerie dans la plage de profondeur d'imagerie prédéterminée (502) ;
    un dispositif de détection de focalisation (109) configuré pour détecter une condition de focalisation focalisée auxdites au moins deux positions de référence (701, 702), la condition de focalisation signifiant une correspondance entre une position dans l'image de pré-balayage (501) et une position de l'élément de focalisation (307) ; et
    un dispositif de commande de focalisation (118, 401) configuré pour effectuer la commande de l'élément de focalisation (307) de manière à effectuer la focalisation aux multiples positions de focalisation (503) séquentiellement sur la base de la condition de focalisation focalisée détectée par le dispositif de détection de focalisation (105) auxdites au moins deux positions de référence (701, 702),
    dans lequel les moyens (316, 401) pour prendre l'image tomographique de l'objet (308) sont configurés pour obtenir l'image tomographique par la focalisation effectuée par le dispositif de commande de focalisation (118, 401).
  2. Appareil d'imagerie tomographique optique selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre :
    un dispositif de conversion de données de commande de focalisation (114) configuré pour créer l'une d'une équation de conversion et d'une table de conversion (115), dans laquelle une position de focalisation (Z) dans la direction de profondeur d'imagerie dans l'image tomographique est une entrée et les informations de position (L) de l'élément de focalisation (307) sont une sortie, sur la base de la condition de focalisation focalisée détectée par le dispositif de détection de focalisation (109), et mémoriser ladite une de l'équation de conversion et de la table de conversion (115) de manière à convertir l'entrée en la sortie ; et
    un dispositif de calcul d'informations de commande de focalisation (116) configuré pour calculer des informations de commande (117) du mécanisme de focalisation (307) sur la base de ladite une de l'équation de conversion et de la table de conversion (115) créée par le dispositif de conversion de données de commande de focalisation (114) et sur la base des informations de position de focalisation (106) provenant du dispositif d'établissement de positions de focalisation (105), dans lequel l'élément de focalisation (307) est commandé et contrôlé par le dispositif de commande de focalisation (118, 401) conformément aux informations de commande (117).
  3. Appareil d'imagerie tomographique optique selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel le dispositif de détection de focalisation (109) est configuré pour détecter la condition de focalisation focalisée en déterminant un état de focalisation auxdites au moins deux positions de référence (701, 702) sur la base de la luminance de l'image de pré-balayage (501) de la plage de profondeur d'imagerie prédéterminée (502).
  4. Appareil d'imagerie tomographique optique selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel le dispositif de détection de focalisation (109) est configuré pour détecter la condition de focalisation focalisée en déterminant un état de focalisation auxdites au moins deux positions de référence (701, 702) sur la base de la définition de l'image de pré-balayage (501) de la plage de profondeur d'imagerie prédéterminée (502).
  5. Appareil d'imagerie tomographique optique selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, comprenant en outre un dispositif de sélection de mode configuré pour sélectionner au moins un mode parmi de multiples modes comprenant un mode de résolution horizontale et un mode de luminance, ledit mode de luminance utilisant un pixel (605) plus grand que celui du mode de résolution horizontale,
    dans lequel le dispositif d'établissement de positions de focalisation est configuré pour établir les multiples positions de focalisation (503) sur la base dudit au moins un mode qui a été sélectionné.
  6. Procédé d'imagerie pour prendre une image tomographique d'un objet (308) en divisant un faisceau de lumière provenant d'une source de lumière (301) en un faisceau de mesure et un faisceau de référence, en guidant le faisceau de mesure vers l'objet (308) par balayage avec un système optique de balayage (305, 306), et en utilisant un faisceau de retour correspondant au faisceau de mesure qui est l'un du faisceau réfléchi et du faisceau dispersé par l'objet (308) et le faisceau de référence, le procédé d'imagerie étant caractérisé par :
    une étape de configuration et d'imagerie de pré-balayage pour établir une position de focalisation d'un élément de focalisation (307) approximativement et former une image de pré-balayage tomographique (501) de l'objet (308) en obtenant des images divisées dans une direction de profondeur d'imagerie, qui sont recombinées ;
    une première étape de configuration pour établir de multiples positions de focalisation (503) dans une plage de profondeur d'imagerie prédéterminée (502) de l'image de pré-balayage (501) ;
    une deuxième étape de configuration pour établir au moins deux positions de référence (701, 702) dans la direction de profondeur d'imagerie dans la plage de profondeur d'imagerie prédéterminée (502) ;
    une étape de détection de focalisation pour détecter une condition de focalisation focalisée auxdites au moins deux positions de référence (701, 702) établies à l'avance à la deuxième étape de configuration, la condition de focalisation signifiant une correspondance entre une position dans l'image de pré-balayage (501) et une position de l'élément de focalisation (307) ; et
    une étape de focalisation pour focaliser avec l'élément de focalisation (307) aux multiples positions de focalisation (503) séquentiellement sur la base de la condition de focalisation focalisée détectée à l'étape de détection de focalisation auxdites au moins deux positions de référence (701, 702),
    dans lequel l'image tomographique est prise en obtenant, par l'étape de focalisation, des images divisées dans la direction de profondeur d'imagerie, qui sont recombinées.
  7. Programme d'ordinateur comprenant des instructions pour amener le dispositif de la revendication 1 à exécuter le procédé d'imagerie selon la revendication 6.
  8. Support de mémorisation pouvant être lu par un ordinateur sur lequel est mémorisé le programme d'ordinateur de la revendication 7.
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US20120293807A1 (en) 2012-11-22
US20100181462A1 (en) 2010-07-22
EP2211140A3 (fr) 2011-04-20
JP5339934B2 (ja) 2013-11-13
EP2211140A2 (fr) 2010-07-28
US8749795B2 (en) 2014-06-10
CN101791213B (zh) 2012-05-09
CN101791213A (zh) 2010-08-04
JP2010169503A (ja) 2010-08-05
US8274660B2 (en) 2012-09-25

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